Maple Leafs News

Bowen: Toronto Media Misses The Boat

It absolutely amazes me how the media in this city can find something negative to write about when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs no matter what the circumstance.

Two cases in point: After rattling off four wins in a row to get the team moving in the right direction, Vesa Toskala had started five straight and played his best hockey between the pipes. A number of reporters decided that wasn’t the story.

In fact they moved towards Andrew Raycroft and tried to develop a story, with one reporter asking him if he had in fact requested a trade. A terse, blunt and profane rebuttal was forthcoming from the Leaf netminder. It did not make the copy of the story the next day. Let’s not dwell on the obvious positive, let’s try and drag out some controversy that wasn’t present.

Case number two: Monday morning in the Toronto Star a photo was printed of head coach Paul Maurice talking to a group of minor hockey coaches at a Home Depot appearance in a store in Brampton. The caption under the photo in part read "where he found everything for home renovations but nothing to help build a winning hockey team”. I guess the headline writer was trying to be cute.

The media enjoys when any of the Toronto sports teams lose or struggle. It makes their job so much easier because they can indiscriminately carve and attack. Covering a winning team is much more difficult. You actually might have to look for something positive and work at your craft.

Many thanks to all who have ordered Holy Mackinaw T-shirts this month. With the Leaf travel schedule before Christmas if I haven’t received your order by now I won’t get a chance to get your t-shirt out before Christmas.

Once again the UFCW Leukemia Research Fund thanks you for your generosity.

Those who wish to purchase a t-shirt can do so by sending $25.00 to: Joe BowenP.O. Box 64705 Unionville Ontario L3R 0M9